A Shoveling We Will Go
by Kat-Elric
Summary: Ordering Axel, Roxas, and Demyx to shovel the snow covered sidewalk in front of the castle will get the job done. Right?


A Shoveling We Will Go

The soft thump of heavy snow being tossed onto more snow echoed through the early morning air. Three sets of shovels worked diligently to dig out the incredibly long sidewalk in front of the large castle.

"I don't see why we have to do this," the red head said irritably. A spare standard issue organization trench was pulled over the first and left open due to the bulk. His hands were covered with his gloves and then stuffed into mittens. A red scarf was doubled tightly around the man's neck and his unruly red spikes poked out underneath a black hat. Despite all of the winter garb, Axel still appeared to be shivering.

"Because we were ordered to," the blond answered simply, throwing another shovel full to the side. Unlike Axel, Roxas had simply added a black and white scarf to his outfit.

"Come on Axel, this is fun!" Demyx exclaimed tossing a half full shovel of snow off to the side. Like Roxas he had added a blue scarf to his usual outfit.

Emerald eyes glared at the exuberant teen. "Why don't you just dance all this off the sidewalks then?"

"Hmm, I don't think I can. I think this falls under ice which is Vexen's department," Demyx replied, unperturbed by the anger in Axel's voice.

"If you want to go try and pester him to clear this off then go for," Roxas told the red head with a scowl.

Axel huffed and threw a few more shovels full of the frozen substance he so disliked before he straightened. "I've had enough of this," he muttered. His shovel was thrown back onto the small bit they had already shoveled. "Nobody even uses the front entrance! We all just teleport right inside anyway! There isn't even any purpose for a front door!"

"We are shoveling because we were ordered to," Roxas replied continuing his work. "Since when do you have a problem following orders?"

"I don't," Axel mumbled shoving his hands into his pockets. "I only have a problem when they concern cold frozen things."

"If you would just shovel and stop complaining we could be done in no time," Roxas said without looking up.

"Hm no time…" Axel's eyes sparkled with the sudden onset of an idea. "Roxas get clear. Demyx come here and get out your sitar."

"What are you doing?" the blond asked irritably.

"Clearing the side walk," he replied as he stepped forward and pulled Roxas back. He quickly tugged off his mittens to free his fingers and summoned his chakram to him. Obediently they appeared in his hands. A smirk settled onto his face.

"Axel I don't think that-" but Roxas was cut off as Axel took his typical fighting stance.

"Burn baby!" he declared almost exuberantly as he sent both chakram flying down the expanse of the side walk, with a power jerk of his arms. Flames engulfed the spinning disks as they glided over the snow. The heat flailed in a war with the snow, easily over powering the cold and melting away the frozen crystals. By the time the spinning weapons were on the return trip to their master's hands, there was a path of water where there had once been snow.

Demyx caught on quickly and with a grin he summoned his sitar. The moment Axel's nimble fingers snagged his chakram out of the air Demyx began to play. "Dance water, dance!" he exclaimed equally as excited. A few meaningful strums of his fingers had lifted the water from the side walk and sent it out into the surrounding yard. Demyx, of course, could not simply let the liquid fall on the snow covered grass. Instead he let it fall in the intricate scroll of his, Axel's, and Roxas's name.

"Nice," Axel commented with a grin as he dismissed his weapons and they faded into nothing.

"I thought so," the blond agreed dismissing his weapon as well. They both knew that in a matter of hours the water would refreeze in a semi-permanent inscription of their names.

"Subtle guys," Roxas said darkly with a glare. He snatched his shovel and turned toward the castle.

"What? We were ordered to clean the sidewalk," he gestured at the perfectly dry cement "and I would say it's clean." Axel snagged his discarded mittens and shovel, and jogged to catch up with Roxas. Once he had, he slung his free arm over the blonde's shoulders. "Come on Rox, that thing was like 400 feet of snow covered yuck! We just saved us hours."

"Yeah whatever," it was the closest to agreement Axel would ever get and it was good enough for him.

Grinning still the red head looked over his shoulder, "Come on Dem. Hot chocolate on me!"

"Alright!" Demyx cheered, grabbing his own shovel and hurrying to catch up.

"Get off," the blonde ordered shrugging off the arm. "Are you always going to be like this?"

"You know it," Axel let his arm drop unbothered by Roxas's attitude. "So you had better get it memorized." On Axel's other side Demyx let out a chuckle.

Together the three people, who in a short time had just come to know each other and in that time were quickly becoming friends, walked into the castle and out of their first and last winter together.

AN: I wrote this after actually shoveling a 400 foot driveway with my father and little sister. Somewhere in the process of removing six inch deep snow we looked at each other and started coming up with different ways others would clean this mess. This is what I came up with. Hope you enjoyed! Leave me a little review if you would be so kind.


End file.
